IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0157207
(1993-12-08)
|
우선권정보 |
ES-199200915 (1992-05-04); ES-199300598 (1993-03-24) |
국제출원번호 |
PCT/ES93/00031
(1993-04-27)
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§371/§102 date |
[Act 371]19931208
([Act 101]19931208)
|
국제공개번호 |
WO93/22607
(1998-11-11)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Steinberg, Raskin & Davidson
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
4 인용 특허 :
5 |
초록
▼
An ice cube containing and dispensing device having a thermally insulating receptacle with a cooling unit, a mechanism for dispensing individual ice cubes including a lever with a pushbutton, a movable platform which closes an ice cube outlet of the receptacle and on which an ice cube is deposited a
An ice cube containing and dispensing device having a thermally insulating receptacle with a cooling unit, a mechanism for dispensing individual ice cubes including a lever with a pushbutton, a movable platform which closes an ice cube outlet of the receptacle and on which an ice cube is deposited as it awaits opening of the outlet, a stop attached to the lever which intercepts passage of the ice cubes toward the outlet, and a trapdoor which closes off the passage of the ice cubes from the receptacle. In another embodiment, a hopper holds the ice cubes in an interior thereof and has a separate enclosing chamber provided with orifices which connect it to the interior of the hopper. Heat exchange components of a cooling unit are arranged above the hopper. The cold from evaporators is distributed uniformly through the enclosing chamber.
대표청구항
▼
1. An ice cube containing and dispensing device which comprises a thermally insulating receptacle (1) incorporating a cooling unit (2) and provided with an ice cube loading opening (9), said receptacle presenting a configuration in the form of a hopper (1a) with a outlet opening (8) for ice cubes (7
1. An ice cube containing and dispensing device which comprises a thermally insulating receptacle (1) incorporating a cooling unit (2) and provided with an ice cube loading opening (9), said receptacle presenting a configuration in the form of a hopper (1a) with a outlet opening (8) for ice cubes (7) to emerge, comprising a manually operated mechanism arranged in said receptacle and which tends to remain in a stable rest position in which it intercepts the passage of ice cubes toward the outlet opening (8), such that when operated manually, the mechanism permits passage of ice cubes, said mechanism comprising a lever (13) provided with a projecting section underneath the ice cube outlet Opening in the form of a pushbutton (17), a platform (16) which closes off said outlet opening (8), an upper stop (18) attached to the lever (13) in an interior of said hopper, said upper stop (18) constituting means for regulating the passage of an ice cube from the hopper to said platform such that When the lever is in a rest position, said stop preventing passage of ice cubes toward the platform, and allowing ice cubes to pass when the lever is moved, and an intermediate movable trapdoor (19) coupled to and operated by said lever (13), said trapdoor (19) being arranged between said upper stop (18) and said platform (16), said trapdoor (19) being inactive in a rest position of said lever (13) and being moved, when said pushbutton (17) is pressed, to a position in which it intercepts the passage of an individual ice cube which has gone beyond said upper stop (18) preventing it from reaching said platform (16) until the mechanism returns to its rest position. 2. An ice cube containing and dispensing device including a thermally insulating receptacle incorporating cooling means, said receptacle comprising a hopper having an ice cube loading opening through which ice cubes are placed into said hopper and a lower outlet opening for delivering ice cubes individually into glasses, comprising a manually operated mechanism arranged in said receptacle and which tends to remain in a stable rest position in which it intercepts the passage of ice cubes toward the outlet opening, said mechanism comprising a lever provided With a projecting section underneath the ice cube outlet opening in the form of a pushbutton and a platform which closes off said outlet opening, whereby upon movement of said lever via said pushbutton, the mechanism permits passage of individual ice cubes to said platform and through said lower outlet opening, and a grille provided with openings and arranged under said ice cube loading opening, said openings in said grille having a size substantially corresponding to the size of the ice cubes, thereby preventing the passage of two or more ice cubes stuck together into said hopper. 3. Ice cube containing and dispensing device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a grille (11) provided with openings (12) arranged under said loading opening of said receptacle, said openings of said grille having a size substantially corresponding to the size of the ice cubes, thereby preventing the passage of two or more ice cubes stuck together. 4. Ice cube containing and dispensing device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a base for supporting the device on a horizontal surface, said receptacle (1) being mounted on said base (4), said base having a tray-type configuration situated beneath said ice cube outlet opening, at a distance sufficient to allow the positioning of a glass (6) for receiving the ice cubes supplied by the device. 5. Ice cube containing and dispensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ice cube container hopper comprises a first, inner wall and a second, outer wall defining an enclosing chamber (1100) therebetween, said first, inner wall comprising orifices for coupling said enclosing chamber to an interior of the hopper so that the cold generated by the cooling unit spreads evenly throughout said hopper, said cooling unit comprising heat exchange components (200a), said enclosing chamber being coupled to an area in which the heat exchange components (200a) are situated. 6. Ice cube containing and dispensing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the heat exchange components (200a) are situated beside the ice cube loading opening (900), further comprising means for housing the heat exchange components (200a), said means being provided with orifices (1200) to link said housing means with the enclosing chamber (1100) of the hopper. 7. Ice cube containing and dispensing device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a cube entrance cover (1600) for covering the ice cube loading opening, said cube entrance cover being provided with a flexible plate (1700) in the form of a water-tight gasket. 8. Ice cube containing and dispensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lever (13) is a mechanism operating lever (1900) comprising two arms (2100) and a stop (3000) extending between said arms, further comprising a swivelling trapdoor (2500) resting on said stop of said mechanism operating lever, said swivelling trapdoor having a prolongation in the shape of a flexible wing (2800) and a long opening (2700), and a rod connected to said mechanism operating lever and arranged to pass through said long opening in said swivelling trapdoor, said rod guiding the swivelling movement of the trapdoor. 9. Ice cube containing and dispensing device as claimed in claim 8, further comprising projecting rods (3100) connected to said arms (2100) of said mechanism operating lever (1900), said projecting rods (3100) being oriented toward an interior of said hopper. 10. An ice cube containing and dispensing device, comprising a thermally insulating receptacle incorporating cooling means, said receptacle comprising a hopper having an interior, an ice cube loading opening through which ice cubes are placed into said hopper interior and a lower outlet opening for delivering ice cubes individually into glasses from said hopper interior, and a manually operated mechanism arranged in said receptacle and which tends to remain in a stable rest position in which it intercepts the passage of ice cubes toward the outlet opening, said mechanism comprising a lever provided With a projecting section underneath the ice cube outlet opening in the form of a pushbutton and a platform which closes off said outlet opening, whereby upon movement of said lever via said pushbutton, the mechanism permits passage of individual ice cubes to said platform and through said lower outlet opening, said hopper comprising a first, inner wall and a second, outer wall defining an enclosing chamber therebetween, said first wall comprising orifices for coupling said enclosing chamber to said hopper interior so that the cold generated by the cooling means spreads evenly throughout said hopper interior, said cooling means comprising heat exchange components, said enclosing chamber being coupled to an area in which the heat exchange components are situated. 11. Ice cube containing and dispensing device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for preventing the passage of two or more ice cubes stuck together. 12. Ice cube containing and dispensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mechanism further comprises a spindle about which said mechanism rotates, said upper stop and said lever being connected to said spindle, said spindle being fixed to said hopper in an interior thereof. 13. Ice cube containing and dispensing device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a spindle arranged in an interior of said hopper, said trapdoor being arranged to swivel about said spindle, and means for limiting the swivelling movement of said trapdoor, said means comprising lugs arranged on said lever and a tooth provided on said trapdoor. 14. Ice cube containing and dispensing device as claimed in claim 8, further comprising means coupled to said mechanism operating lever for stirring the ice cubes in said hopper. 15. An ice cube containing and dispensing device, comprising a thermally insulating receptacle incorporating cooling means, said receptacle comprising a hopper having an interior, an ice cube loading opening through which ice cubes are placed into said hopper interior and a lower outlet opening for delivering ice cubes individually into glasses from said hopper interior, a manually operated mechanism arranged in said receptacle and which tends to remain in a stable rest position in which it intercepts the passage of ice cubes toward the outlet opening, said mechanism comprising a lever provided with a projecting section underneath the ice cube outlet opening in the form of a pushbutton, a stop connected to said lever and extending into an interior of said hopper and a platform which closes off said outlet opening, whereby upon movement of said lever via said pushbutton, the mechanism permits passage of individual ice cubes to said platform and through said lower outlet opening, and said mechanism further comprising a movable trapdoor resting on said stop of said lever, said trapdoor having a prolongation in the shape of a flexible wing and an elongate opening, and a rod connected to said lever and arranged to pass through said elongate opening in said trapdoor, said rod guiding swivelling movement of said trapdoor.
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